Church of St. John the Baptist, Art Deco church in Molenbeek, Belgium
The Church of St. John the Baptist is a reinforced-concrete Art Deco church designed by Joseph Diongre and built in 1930–1932. Its pale Brauvilliers stone facade has a stepped central section with a large cross-shaped window of white lattice grille work, a bas-relief of Christ's baptism by Albert Aebly above the portal, and a tall, flat-sided tower on the left with louvered and latticed openings. Inside, six parabolic arches rise 23 metres above the nave.
The building occupies the site of an original church from the 9th century, founded through the legacy of Saint Gertrude of Nivelles. The present structure replaced the older building in the early 20th century with a completely new design.
The parish gave its name to Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, and the church is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, the municipality's patron. A statue of Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, whose bequest founded the first church here, stands in the transept. On Saint John's Day (24 June) a dancing procession once drew people with epilepsy, who crossed the bridge to the church without their feet touching the ground; Pieter Brueghel the Younger painted the scene in 1592.
The church is open to visitors during service times and functions as an active parish serving the neighborhood. As a protected heritage site, the space should be approached with respect for both the building and those who gather there for worship.
The building demonstrates an innovative use of reinforced concrete in religious architecture with parabolic arches instead of traditional columns. The windows feature abstract geometric patterns rather than figurative decoration, directing light in unexpected ways throughout the interior.
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